Digital rights management (DRM) is used to secure the distribution of digital content such as, for example, video and audio works. DRM provides a means to insure that only authorized persons or devices access particular digital content. In existing systems, digital content sometimes includes, or is associated with, meta-data. In an example scenario wherein a network provides access to video content, meta-data associated with the video content may be stored in a manifest that is associated with the video content. Client systems use the meta-data to determine which form of DRM protection, if any, is being used to secure access to a particular content item. In an example scenario, after using meta-data associated with content to resolve the form of DRM being used, a client system may contact a DRM server to negotiate a license for accessing the content. In connection with the negotiation, the DRM server provides a key with which the client may decrypt, descramble and/or otherwise gain access to the desired content.
Using existing methods of performing digital rights management, client systems are typically specially adapted to address DRM. For example, client devices may be required to have specialized DRM client software, firmware, or hardware. Moreover, content servers that are responsible for serving content in response to requests are also typically responsible for enforcing digital rights management. As a result, delivery of content that has been requested is frequently delayed while the content servers perform digital rights management functions related to request.
Accordingly, there is a need to improve the user's experience while meeting the requirements of secure content distribution.